The jellyfish sign: atelectasis
In moderate to large pleural effusions, atelectatic lung is frequently noted on the ultrasound images. Remember, when the lung is not collapsed, you would only see the artifacts (A-lines or […]
Ultrasound signs of urolithiasis
Although sonography is less sensitive than CT for detecting kidney stones, it is the preferred initial imaging modality as there is no risk of radiation, is reproducible, inexpensive, and the […]
Pneumonia versus atelectasis: the differentiation can be difficult
As mentioned before, hepatization of the lung i.e., lung looking like liver tissue can occur in both pneumonia and atelectasis. Dynamic air bronchograms, when present, point toward pneumonia but static […]
Do kidneys sweat?
An extracapsular, hypoechoic or anechoic rim of simple-appearing fluid surrounding the kidneys, first described on ultrasonography in some patients with renal failure (serum creatinine >2 mg/dL), was termed kidney sweat. […]
B-lines do not always indicate pulmonary edema
Diffuse B-line pattern can be seen in pulmonary edema of various causes, interstitial pneumonia, diffuse parenchymal lung disease (e.g. fibrosis), ARDS etc. Whether you are dealing with cardiogenic pulmonary edema […]
Ureteral jets
The intravesical ureteral jets, or the bladder jets represent the sonographic appearance of discrete boluses of urine entering the bladder, better detected using color Doppler. They are thought to result […]
Pneumonia and dynamic air bronchograms
In general, evaluation of an air-rich organ is a limitation of ultrasound because air scatters the ultrasound beam and does not allow proper visualization of the underlying structures. Therefore, normal […]
Performance of lung ultrasound: Let’s talk numbers
The diagnostic accuracy of lung ultrasound for common pathologies such as pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, pneumothorax, and pneumonia is superior to chest radiograph and is comparable to chest CT scan. […]
Vasculature mimicking hydronephrosis on greyscale ultrasound
Fluid (e.g. blood, urine, serous fluid in cysts) is an excellent transmitter of sound waves and appears black (= anechoic) on a sonogram. On greyscale images, prominent vasculature or vascular […]
Dromedary hump
Dromedary hump is a prominent focal bulge on the lateral border of the left kidney caused by splenic impression, which can mimic renal neoplasm. It is similar in appearance to […]